Congressman John Lewis
(GA-5) is an American icon, one of the key figures of the civil rights
movement. His commitment to justice and nonviolence has taken him from
an Alabama sharecropper’s farm to the halls of Congress, from a
segregated schoolroom to the 1963 March on Washington, and from
receiving beatings from state troopers to receiving the Medal of Freedom
from the first African-American president.

Now, to share his
remarkable story with new generations, Lewis presents March, a graphic
novel trilogy, in collaboration with co-writer Andrew Aydin and New York
Times best-selling artist Nate Powell (winner of the Eisner Award and
LA Times Book Prize finalist for Swallow Me Whole).

March is a
vivid first-hand account of John Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and
human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled
since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis’ personal
story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil
rights movement.

Book One spans John Lewis’ youth in rural
Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., the
birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle to tear down
segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins, building to a
stunning climax on the steps of City Hall.

Many years ago, John
Lewis and other student activists drew inspiration from the 1950s comic
book "Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story." Now, his own comics
bring those days to life for a new audience, testifying to a movement
whose echoes will be heard for generations.

REVIEW

Lewis's life reads like a novel, but its real. This graphic novel provides a powerful account of the beginning of Lewis' involvement with the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. While I'd read about some of these events, somehow, the first person account brings it to life like no other book I've ever read. Frankly, some of the things that Lewis and his colleagues faced made me sick. And never having faced this sort of thing myself, it's hard for me to comprehend such prejudice and the actions that accompany it. The graphic novel format works particularly well for a story like this one as the illustrations are particularly powerful, especially in black and white. There are no extras here, no fluff, just a powerful story told in a straightforward manner.

The #1 New York Times
bestselling series continues! Congressman John Lewis, an American icon
and one of the key figures of the civil rights movement, continues his
award-winning graphic novel trilogy with co-writer Andrew Aydin and
artist Nate Powell, inspired by a 1950s comic book that helped prepare
his own generation to join the struggle. Now, March brings the lessons
of history to vivid life for a new generation, urgently relevant for
today's world.

After the success of the Nashville sit-in
campaign, John Lewis is more committed than ever to changing the world
through nonviolence - but as he and his fellow Freedom Riders board a
bus into the vicious heart of the deep south, they will be tested like
never before.

Faced with beatings, police brutality,
imprisonment, arson, and even murder, the young activists of the
movement struggle with internal conflicts as well. But their courage
will attract the notice of powerful allies, from Martin Luther King, Jr.
to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy... and once Lewis is elected
chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, this
23-year-old will be thrust into the national spotlight, becoming one of
the "Big Six" leaders of the civil rights movement and a central figure
in the landmark 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

REVIEW

I thought the first book in this series was powerful, but this book is even more powerful. Reading about the Freedom Riders and the things they experienced in standing up for their rights left me stunned. I knew about some of this, but seeing it in the illustrations just brought it home strongly. The story is told so well and the contrast between Lewis's presence at Obama's inauguration and the brutality that he faced as a young man with his colleagues is a powerful one. That doesn't mean I would hand this to young readers however. I'd say middle school at the youngest. The story includes insulting prejudicial language and some graphic violence, which couldn't be told any other way since its the truth. The inclusion of Lewis' original speech made for an interesting comparison between what he planned to say and what he ended up saying. His original speech was definitely fiery but not necessarily helpful, the few tweaks that were made, made the speech all the more effective.

Welcome to the stunning
conclusion of the award-winning and best-selling MARCH trilogy.
Congressman John Lewis, an American icon and one of the key figures of
the civil rights movement, joins co-writer Andrew Aydin and artist Nate
Powell to bring the lessons of history to vivid life for a new
generation, urgently relevant for today's world.

REVIEW

After reading this, I can very easily understand why it won so many awards. This book tells a powerful story, but not necessarily an easy one to read, which is why I wouldn't hand it to anyone under the age of 12-14. This book takes up where the second book ended, continuing Congressman John Lewis's story of the events leading up to the second Selma to Montgomery March and the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The combination of text and visuals makes this a particularly emotional read. Even though I was aware of some of what happened during the Civil Rights struggles of the 1960s, seeing it visually represented, and hearing John's story told so well, made it more impactful. This is a story of courage, and hope, and passion, but it's also a story of fear, and anger and violence. Some of the awful language and graphic violence is hard to take, especially with the marchers refusing to fight back. But I've long believed and this series has cemented that belief, that it was the nonviolent approach in the face of often brutal violence and hatred, that finally carried the day. An amazing end to an amazing series that documents a time in the United States history that needs to be remembered, especially since the journey continues today.

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About Me

I am currently working as a elementary school librarian which I love. I enjoy sharing books on my blogs of which I have two (Geo Librarian and LDS and Lovin' it). I also review for School Library Journal.